Transversalis Fascia Plane Versus Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Children

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Postoperative analgesia: Postoperative analgesia will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at predefined time points following surgery: 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Pain evaluation will be performed both at rest and during movement (e.g., coughing or mobilization). Additional analgesics will be administered according to a standardized protocol: intravenous paracetamol (15 mg/kg/dose, every 6 hours as needed) will be given if VAS ≥ 4. Rescue analgesia requirements, including timing and dosage, will be recorded for each patient. The primary aim of this assessment is to compare the analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block and transversus abdominis plane block in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Duration of analgesia, postoperative VAS scores, and need for rescue analgesics will be documented to determine the relative effectiveness of each block technique.

Study summary

This prospective clinical study aims to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy of the ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block (TFPB) and the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Effective and long-lasting postoperative analgesia is essential for patient and parental satisfaction in pediatric anesthesia. With recent advances in ultrasound technology, regional anesthesia techniques have become increasingly utilized in pediatric practice.

In the TAP block, local anesthetic is injected between the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles, providing analgesia typically between Torachal vertebra 10 (T10) and Lumbar vertebra (L1) dermatomes. The transversalis fascia plane block, developed as a modification of this approach, targets the proximal portions of the T12 and L1 nerves by depositing local anesthetic between the transversus abdominis muscle and the transversalis fascia, potentially offering wider sensory coverage.

This study compares both blocks in terms of postoperative pain scores, duration of analgesia, and requirement for rescue analgesics in children undergoing laparoscopic surgery. The results are expected to contribute to the optimization of regional anesthesia techniques and improve pain management strategies in pediatric surgical patients.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Postoperative Pain Assessment (Visuel Analog Scale) — At 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after surgery.
  The primary outcome is the comparison of the analgesic efficacy of the transversalis fascia plane block and the transversus abdominis plane block in pediatric laparoscopic surgery, measured using the Visuel Analog Scale (VAS). The Visual Analog Scale is a standardized tool used to quantify the intensity of pain. It consists of a 10-centimeter horizontal line representing a continuous range of pain levels. The minimum score is 0, indicating no pain, and the maximum score is 10, indicating the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores reflect worse outcomes, meaning greater pain intensity. Participants are asked to mark a point on the line that best represents the severity of their pain, and the distance from the zero point is measured in centimeters to obtain the final score.

Trial sites (1)

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